A kitchen herb garden can be planted almost anywhere. Many herbs are ornamental, others are pleasantly fragrant, while still others possess both of these qualities.

Gardens of herbs require very little space to grow, making them ideal for odd corners of a large garden, out of the way spaces, or even window boxes and flower pots. You can even have an indoor herb garden right in your kitchen.

Do not forget that there are practical benefits to herbs grown in your own garden. They can enhance mild or bland dishes made fresh in your kitchen. Freshly-grown herbs can be harvested minutes before cooking, giving you the peak of flavor and freshness. There is simply no comparison to dried herbs purchased in the store.

You can make your herb garden as organic as you want. Herbal plants are naturally fragrant, and can act as their own insecticide. Grow you herbs in compost made from leaves and stalks of other fresh produce you have composted, and you will be certain that absolutely no chemical insecticides or pesticides have touched your fresh herbal vegetables.

Herbs can be grown in the ground or in containers. If you grow them in containers, you can even bring in the most beautiful ones as ornamental centerpieces or decorations during dinners or parties. To start your herb garden layout, you need these ingredients:

a. Good soil enriched with humus or other organic matter.
b. A sunny location.
c. A regular watering schedule.
d. Some periodic care on your part.

If you have hard clay soil or other unsuitable planting conditions, plant your herb seeds in containers or raised beds. This will allow you to buy commercial garden soil and the proper soil amendments for the right herb growing medium. Do not forget to mix in your own personally-made compost.

Plant your basic herb garden design in small sections. This will allow you to get the feel for how the seeds or bulbs need to be planted. It will also tell you if the soil conditions are correct for growing your growing herbs. Start with hardy plants know to thrive in your climate by asking local garden experts or gardening books. Choose annuals or perennials suitable to the amount of sun your herb garden plan will receive.

Some herbs, such as bay leaf, garlic, cloves, chamomile, lemon grass, marigold flowers, thyme, tansy, and others can help deter pests away from regular garden plants such as corn, tomatoes, and beans. Notice that these are very fragrant and potent-smelling herbs. Not only will they act as natural insect repellent, you can pick them when you harvest the vegetables they are protecting and cook them together in the kitchen!

Plant only small plots or a few pots of herbs at a time. As you continue to plant your herbal species, you will find that these fragrant ornamental plants can stimulate your sight, smell, touch, and especially the taste. They will also stimulate your hearing, as you hear how good your cooking tastes with plants harvested from your own kitchen herb garden.